A Romanian man was arrested yesterday on serious suspicion ofattempted kidnapping of a toddlerand aggravated assault. CCTV footage shows a mother struggling against a stranger who grabbed her daughter in a supermarket in Bergamo, Italy, on 14 February 2026. The security footage also shows the girl's father and bystanders stepping in to stop the perpetrator.
The man could be seen grabbing the one-year-old child by the legs as the family was exiting the Esselunga supermarket in Bergamo, while he was making his way in. He then attempted to forcibly take the girl from her mother.
🚨 Attempted kidnapping in a supermarket. A child’s leg was broken during the attackIn a store in Bergamo a man tried to abduct an 18-month-old girl. He snatched the child from her mother’s arms and attempted to flee.The woman fought back and prevented him from escaping.…pic.twitter.com/5R27FvNXHQ
Fortunately, the child's father was nearby, and he and other bystanders were able to block and restrain the Romanian national until police arrived.
The toddler suffered a fractured femur and was taken to hospital, while the 47-year-old man was taken into custody, facing charges of aggravated kidnapping, as well as aggravated bodily harm.
The toddler's father, Matteo, told Italian news, 'A survival instinct kicked in. To see your daughter in danger is dreadful. The reaction was immediate. You don't think, you just act.'
According to Matteo, his daughter had been in a trolley while they shopped, but then asked to walk. As he was handing her over to her mother, the horrific incident transpired.
'It all happened in a fraction of a second. It is not something that you expect, particularly because the supermarket was packed with people,' he said. 'I must thank all the supermarket staff who intervened and the police, who were quick to arrive. My daughter is OK and she is playing despite the plaster cast she has to wear.'
Senior police officer Marco Cadeddu said of the incident, 'We arrested the man, took him to the police station, and took care of the child, who was taken to hospital. It could have ended up being a lot worse,' perThe Telegraph UK. Bergamo's mayor, Elena Carnevali, voiced her support for the toddler's parents, who had gone through a 'terrible experience.'
Italian State Police said in a statement, 'The woman's resistance prevented the worst from happening until her father, the security guards, and the bystanders stopped the attacker until the police arrived,' as reported byNDTV World.
Source: International Business Times UK
